Under the Imperius
by Chantari
Summary: The trio are back at Hogwarts for their final year! A strange girl just may be the key to Voldemort's undoing! Find out!


**Nope, don't own Harry Potter. Own the story, but don't own the characters. Darn.**

**Thanks so much to my good friends Death to Burritos and InuB for giving me awesome ideas! Here's to you!**

* * *

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger peered out the glass windows of the express. Looking out in the distance, the trio could see the turrets of Hogwarts coming closer into view.The castle loomed upon them like a dark storm cloud now. 

Slowly, their gazes detached from the castle back into their compartment of the Hogwarts Express.

"Be glad," Hermione sighed gravely,"be glad to be back. After all, these few months may be the last we'll ever see of this place. Voldemort is back." Her voice seemed confident, yet her eyes stated otherwise.

Across the compartment, Ron shuddered at the sound of his name. Harry, on the other hand, rushed towards Hermione and wrapped his arms around her.

_Whatever way one may have put it, she is right- as always_, Harry thought to himself.

The idea of him being the chosen one had all become clear to him two months before, when Ron and Hermione, along with others, had taken the time to fully explain the importance of his being. The previous summer was bad enough for the trio. For one, Voldemort had come to power; Albus Dumbledore was dead, and the Ministry of Magic being on the verge of shutting down Hogwarts for good did not make situations better.

Now, Harry looked at Ron and let loose of Hermione. She sniffed once more, but gave a slight smile. "I'm still nervous, though," she admitted guiltily.

Harry gave a short, forced laugh. "We all are, 'Mione," he reassured.

Gradually, the train started to lose its speed and eventually pulled over at Hogwarts.The trio dragged their luggage out of the congested aisle and out of the Express.In doing so, they dodged a small group of third and fifth years.

"Ron," Hermione whispered strictly. Ron had run over a third year's foot with his heavy trunk; he had received sufficient swears from the third year, and in turn had given him quite a few of his own.

"Being a prefect, Ron, I really can't imagine y-" Hermione began, but she was cut off by a series of angry protests from Ron.

"Why I never- HE stepped in front of my trunk!That kid couldn't give me an inch of room to come out! I'm elder than him! These kids never learnt respect!" Ron yelled at the top of his lungs. He attracted quite a bit of attention that way.

"Last time I checked, Ron, you weren't that old yourself," Hermione reminded him, with just a hint of reality. Behind her back, Ron gave a huff.

"All right! I don't think Hogwarts is ready for you two quarreling like this. Keep a low profile, we don't want any unwanted attention" Harry advised Ron and Hermione. "Come on, I want to see if Hagrid is here." Just as he was about to make a dash for the platform, Harry bumped into the figure of a half giant- Hagrid.

Hagrid turned around and shot them all a huge, welcoming simle. "Been looking for yeh! Harry, I though' yeh weren' going ter come!" He pulled Harry, Ron and Hermione into a large hug.

Harry felt his ribs crunch under Hagrid's powerful grip. "Ahh! Hagrid, you can let go now," choked Harry. Hagrid's cheeks turned pink and he released them. "Listen, Hagrid, has anything unusual happened here? Any signs of danger?" Harry spoked in a hushed voice.

The half giant shook his head and added, "Nothin' yet. They've been puttin' up barricades 'round Hogwarts. I'd like ter see them try! No one'll ev-"

"We'll see you inside, Hagrid," Ron cut him off, holding his stomach. Harry and Hermione shot him looks of disapproval. Ron simply shrugged and stated, "What? I'm hungry!"

Hagrid laughed. Ron would always be Ron.

Hermione shook her head and stepped into the Thestral drawn carriages, followed by Harry and Ron.

"I suppose we will see you inside," she called out to Hagrid. He waved in approval.

They rode over the lake and an uneven, rocky area just before their carriage halted right in front of the entrance to the castle. The large oak doors opened, inviting the arriving students into a warm and inviting atmosphere. Harry could smell the aromas inside the great hall, of brewing stews, and the start-of-term feast that would follow soon after.

Students waited, shivering, in the entrance chatting quietly among themselves. Harry could see, however, that the population of the students had dropped by a lot. There were only about a hundred students from every house and most were seventh years. All the excitement that used to buzz around the students at the start of every year didn't happen anymore. The conversations were more out of fear than joy.

Professor Minerva McGonagall, now headmistress, strode between the students into the hall.

"Welcome to the final year of Hogwarts. First years, please line up in an orderly manner and follow me. The rest of you, please seat yourselves in your respective houses." She marched in front of the nervous looking first years. The rest of Hogwarts followed.

The Headmistress guided the high-strung first years to the stool on which the Sorting hat rested. Professor Binns assisted the calling of names as McGonagall walked up to the teachers' table. Even the professors were in a small quantity; Severus Snape wasn't there. Neither were Professors Trelawny and Vector.

The last first year (Everett, Kimberly!) was sorted into Hufflepuff, and the table applauded politely as she troddled over to the table. Professor McGonagall arose from her seat and began to speak.

"Everyone, I would like to welcome you to the final year of Hogwarts. I say this because Hogwarts will be shut down in the upcoming year."

Everyone in the great hall gasped. Murmurs broke out.

McGonagall waited until the chatter died down before she began again, "I fear that Hogwarts will be no more. Now that we are no more under the protection of one," she staggered to find the right word, "powerful enough. I wish that our last year will be most memorable.

"This year, I will ensure to you the safety of every single one of our students. Until then, enjoy your feast."

The golden plates in front of every single student magically filled with food. 'Ooohs' and 'ahhhs' came from the expectant first years.

"Her voice seems more quiet. More gentle," Hermione pointed out to Harry, who nodded in return.

"Maybe because Dumbledore's gone. She's not her upbeat self, anymore," he replied.

"Omaybeshe'shgonesof'" said Ron, through a large piece of meat pie.

"Ugh..what was that again, Ron?" Hermione winced.

"Maybe because she's gone soft," Ron gulped for air. Under his breath, he muttered, "_Yeesh_"

Hermione rolled her eyes. She finished her last bites and looked at her yearly timetable. "Good heavens! Look at all we'll have to do! N.E.W.T 's, extra lessons, double astronomy!This year is going to be..."she sighed, "exhausting."

"I'll see you two tomorrow. I've got arithmancy first thing in the morning. Good night" Hermione turned her head to look for Peeves. In the previous years, he had annoyed her so much that she learnt to be ready for him since the beginning. She collected the rest of her books and stood up to leave. Ron and Harry smiled at her between their stuffed faces.

"Good night, Hermione," they both chanted, and returned back to their suppers.

* * *

The next morning, Harry and Ron made their way down to breakfast after a long and restful sleep. They spotted Hermione already there, sitting with the rest of their fellowGryffindors. She was quietly eating her piece of toast while trying to avoid Seamus' and Dean's daily quarrel. 

Harry greeted, "Morning, Hermione."

"Slept well?" Ron teased her.

"Now that you ask, Ron," she shot him her death glare, "I had quite a rest!"

From the giant window, a large boreal owl flew over to their table with the Daily Prophet. Hermione untied the string holding together the parchments and in return, placed a knut in the pouch tied to its leg.

"There's nothing here! Voldemort has come back; he's on a killing rampage, and all the Prophet cares to write about is Gringotts trolls' strike! And what's more is- oh, hello!" Hermione's voice faded.

"Look here," she pointed, "_A Hogwarts student was abducted from her home last Thursday, supposedly by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The dark mark was spotted, and the usage of an Imperius was recorded. The student's parents were murdered. She is nowhere to be found, and there are no identifiable clues as to where she was taken. The Ministry of Magic is still investigating on this situation._

"That's horrid. Look at her- she looks no younger than us!" Hermione showed the two boys a picture of a girl who looked to be just about seventeen. She had remarkable hazel eyes that looked out through black, square glasses. She also had straight black hair that fell into her eyes and just beyond her shoulders.

Harry grabbed the paper. " Don't you see? This means Voldemort is nearby. We have to be ready!"

Later that day, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together in Charms lesson. Professor Flitwick stood on an unbalanced stack of books,struggling to write notes on the chalkboard.

"Hermione, what is he writing? I don't get anything!" Ron whispered furiously to Hermione.

She shot back, "Well, why don't you ever try to pay attention?"

"If he ever told anything interesting in these lessons, I'd actually care to listen. Look, all I'm asking is for the notes," he protested.

"I'm not giving you anything until you actually care for life!" Her voice began to rise in volume.

Harry stared at her in disbelief. Professor Flitwick hopped off his books and came to them.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley! Please keep it down. If you continue to disrupt my lesson, I am afraid I shall have to put you both in detention," he said

"Detention," Hermione muttered hotly under her breath. "Professor, may I step outside for just a moment?"

Professor Flitwick,taken aback at this unusual request, thought for a brief moment before answering, "Err..I suppose you may."

Quickly, she stood up and gathered her books. She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the classroom. She lingered outside in the hallways for a few minutes before breaking out into a trot in the other direction. She kept jogging in the hallways until she accidently slammed into a figure running the opposite way.

After taking a hard hit, she was on the floor, along with the other person whom she crashed with.Their books fell from her bags,Hermione's ink bottle crashed on thebooks and all over the floor.

The girl Hermione ran over slipped on the ink and fell over once again. She offered the girl her supportive arm.With enough effort out of the mess, the girl finally stood up.

"I- I'm so sorry. Please forgive me," Hermione cried, brushing off extra paper.

A soft voice said, "It's all right. Nothing to worry about."

"Is there anything that I can do?" Hermione tried once again.

The girl quietly shook her head and tucked behind the hair that fell into her eyes.

Behind black, square glasses, a pair of familiar hazel eyes stared back at Hermione.

* * *

**Yay! You survived my first chapter! I'm always like this; I put too many details into my stories.** **The ending was rushed; please forgive me.**

**So sorry if I made you fall asleep in the middle. Next time, I promise to stay on track and shorten it considerably. **

**-falls asleep-**


End file.
